When Are Ball Bearing Parallels The Right Tool For The Job?

[extropic]

I have long been aware of them but never appreciated what they might be good for, except being used as a transfer sled for heavy items on a planar surface.
If their primary function is as a transfer sled, I wonder if the "parallel" moniker is just a misnomer and should be abandoned.
I have linked a current eBay listing. The 18" length of these motivated the question. What are ball bearing parallels supposed to be good for?

Taking a better look at the listing pictures, I notice some saw cuts which makes me think these were used to support heavy stock on a manual bandsaw. I can appreciate that. However, most of the ball bearing parallels I've seen were 6" length, so back to the question.

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_dk..._cat=0&store_name=stmsurplus&_oac=1&_nkw=ball bearing parallels

 

[682bear]

I've been working in machine shops for 34 years and I've never seen a set out in the wild...

Maybe this is something that I desperately need and just don't know it...?

I would guess you are correct, though... they are made for moving heavy items on machine tables... that's all I can see they would be good for.

-Bear

 

[Grandpop]

When I was a tool & die maker we mostly used them on the bandsaw table when sawing internal shapes in the bigger lower die plates. Makes them easy to maneuver. Also on top of the 4 wheel lift trucks to help position heavy steel plates easier.

 

[MrWhoopee]

^^^^THIS^^^^

Bandsawing heavy plates, you can easily manuever in any direction. Just don't cut through them.

I wouldn't really call them parallels, though they probably are.

 

[extropic]

^^^^THIS^^^^

Bandsawing heavy plates, you can easily manuever in any direction. Just don't cut through them.

I wouldn't really call them parallels, though they probably are.

What name do you know them by?

 

[MrWhoopee]

What name do you know them by?

Fred had a set, but I don't recall what we called them. They are apparently sold as "ball bearing parallels". I was simply referring to the fact that they are not used in the way that "parallels" are used. More like a roller stock support.